Use of Analytical Methods in Revealing the Techniques of Ottoman Calligraphers: An Illuminated Manuscript from the Eighteenth Century

ABSTRACT

An eighteenth-century transcription of the Qur’anic text, originating from Istanbul but now housed at the Mesudija Library in Bosnia and Herzegovina, underwent a series of analyses prior to conservation. The artefact characterization included preliminary analyses accompanied by microscopy such as determination of the fiber composition, paper typology, and microchemical tests. The acidity status of the paper was established by measuring the pH, and proteins of the sizing material were confirmed by employing thin layer chromatography. Foxing stains were examined by UV fluorescence and optical microscopy. Selected pigments of the illumination, the black ink, and the gilded book cover were examined using X-ray fluorescence. The identity of pigments was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The obtained results indicate that this lavishly illuminated manuscript was created by choosing the finest and least deteriorating materials of its time including carbon-based ink, gold for illumination, lignin-free paper, and protective layers consisting of egg white, alum, and starch. Collectively, these findings provided valuable guidelines for the conservation processes of this manuscript.

KEYWORDS:

• Islamic manuscript
• XRF
• FTIR
• fibers
• pigments
• ink

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support and sincere gratitude to the Institute of Metrology of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Lab Unica d.o.o.; Prof. Dr. Hadzimejlic C. from the University of Sarajevo; Prof. Dr. Ranogajec J. and the staff at the University of Novi Sad, as well as the associate editor, Dr. Jocelyn Alcántara-García and the anonymous reviewers for strengthening the research article prior to publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.